Ring feed for a meat packaging machine



Dec. 15, 1959 D. R. FORRY RING FEED FOR A MEAT PACKAGING MACHINE Filed April 23. 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet .1

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a w j 3 of Dec. 15, 1959 D. R. FORRY RING FEED FOR A MEAT PACKAGING MACHINE Filed April 2a. 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 15, 1959 D. R. FORRY RING FEED FOR A PACKAGING MACHINE Filed April 23. 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent RING: FEED FOR A MEAT PACKAGING MACHINE Donald R. Forry, Hilliards, Ohio, assignor, by mesne assignments,,to Dale E. McCarty, Fostoria, Ohio Application April 23,1956, Serial No. 580,124

6 Claims. (Cl. 221-200.)

This invention relates to an automatic feeding meansfor retaining rings of the kind shown in the patent applications of Dale E.'McCarty, Serial No. 295,940, filed June 27,'l952, and now abandoned, Serial No. 338,687, filed February 25, 1953,'now iatent No. 2,754,959, and Serial No. 359,091, filed June 2, 1953, now Patent No. 2,811,- 818, which retaining rings are used in conjunction with sheets of wrapping material, such as transparent Saran, and discs,that may be sprung into the. retaining rings to retain'between the wrapping material and the disc, meat or other products in an airtight manner for sale in retail grocery stores and the like.

One objectof the invention is to provide an automatic meanslo feed ringssuccessively to ring plates of a packaging, machine conveyor on which sheets of wrapping material and the. meat or other productto be wrappediare superposed, followed by the introduction of a ,disc on the product. and an assembly 'operati'o'natone station of the machinethat forces the product through theretaining ring and the disc into a groove of the ring for completing the-package;

Another object is to provide a supportingarm'on which a -number-of retainingrings can be threaded, the arm sloping at a smallangle so as to feed-the rings toward the lower-end thereofby-gr-avity, and-being mountedat one end -'onl-y, so that vibrations impartedthereto-' will efie'ct the feeding of the rings along the arm.

Still another object is to providean escapement mechanism-'at-the lowerend of the arm for dischargingthe retaining rings one at-a time.

A-further object is to providethe escapement mech anism so designed as-tooperate with some vibration, thus vibrating the arm'itself for feeding of the-rings therealong.

Still a further-object is to provide gnide' mean's'supportedabove the arm and operable to guide the rings therealong-and into proper position with respecttothe escapement mechanism, the guide-means being pivotally mounted at one endto swing-away from the arm-for loading-the arm, and the arm-and guide means being-swingable to a reversely inclined positionto facilitatez such loading. I

An additional object is 'to provide discharge guidemeans fonguidin'githe ring, as it is discharged from-the arm by the escapement mechanism, into proper positionwit-h respectto a ring plate which at that time is in the proper position for receiving the ring.

A-further additional object is to provide in connec tion with a sprocket of-the conveyor at the ring feed station, a ring trap base arrangement to insure'proper entry of the ring into a circula'r'opening of the ring plate.

With these and other objects in. View, my invention consists in'the construction,arrangement and combination ofthe various parts of my ring feed for --a meat. packaging machine, whereby the objects above contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in myclaims and illustrated in detail "on the accompanying drawings,-whereint 2,917,204 Patented. Dec. .1 5,, 1959.

Fig.1 is a vertical sectional view through a packaging machine for meat and the like showing my ring ,.feed applied thereto in (1) This application, other aspects of the machine being disclosed and claimed in the following copending applications: i

(2) My application, Serial No.. 581,680, .filed .April 30, 1956, now Patent No. 2,845,764;

(3) The joint application of myself and Henry B. Tryon, Serial No. 581,131, filed. April 27, 1956, now Pat? ent No. 2,815,624, .and g (4) The application of James W. Smelker, Serial .No'. 5 80,036, filed April 23,1956; 1

Fig. 2 isan enlarged vertical sectional .view of a portion of the ring feecl'mechanisrn shown inside elevation in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 showing details of construction;

Figs-5 and.6 are vertical sectionalviews. on the lines 5 -5 and 66 respectively of Fig. 2;. t

Fig. ,7 is an enlargement ofthe escapement mechanism shown at the left endof Fig. 2, the parts being in normal position;

Fig. 8 is a similar section view showing vthe parts, in operated position; 1,

Fig; 9 is a perspective view of two movable elements of theescapement mechanism; and

Fig;. :10is a vertical .sectionalview of a portion .ofthe left-hand end :of .Fig. 1 showing thecoaction of a retainer ring. with the. .ring plate receiving the. same.

On the accompanyingdrawings,the reference. .charac terF indicates ingeneralthe frame. of the. machine on which the, various operating elements thereof tobe described are mounted. The frameF may be' supported, by four posts Ill-extending upwardly .frorna suitable .base (not-,- shown).

Journalled :inthe .frame .F isa main shaft 12,,on which ismounted a pair of main sprockets 14., Alsojournalled Discharge Station For driving .the main shaft 12, a Geneva wheel 22 is provided, operated.by a Genevaarm 24.... The Geneva arm.24- is securedtoa Genevaarm shaft.26 .on, which is mounted a drive sprocket '28. A. drive chain 30 extends from, the drive sprocket 28 downwardly to a suitable source of power suchas anelectric motor. with an appropriate step-down gearing which, being ,convcn: tional, are not shown;

The ring-plates 32 are spaced along the conveyor chains 20 andhave circular openings 33 thereinto receive the rings R. Each plate 32 also has a pair of side flanges 34 extending past. the chains 20. through which propelling rods'36 extend from .one chain to the other. .Also, positioning rods38 extend through slots 40 of the flanges 34 which' arrangement permits the chains' 20 to extend around the sprockets 14 and 18 and at the same time properly carry the ring plates 32 with them andaround the sprockets as thechains travel due to rotation of the sprockets.

The sprocketshaft 116 carriesfour: ring trap bases 35 adjustably mounted on a ring trap base holder 37 secured to the shaft. Rods 39 and tubes 41 are threaded together for adjustment purposes and support the ring trap bases 35, the adjustment permitting the ring traps to occupy the proper position with respect to the ring plates 32 as the plates pass around the sprockets 18.

The machine disclosed includes a ring feed mechanism shown generally at RF, a package assembler shown generally at PA and a disc feed shown generally at DF which are fully disclosed and claimed in the three copending applications herein mentioned in connection with the description of Fig. 1.

Four support rods 42 extend upwardly from the frame F adjacent the right-hand end of the machine as shown in Fig. 1 and a head 44 is mounted thereon. A channelshaped ring support arm 46 extends from the head 44 and a ring slide 48 which is T-shaped in cross-section (see Fig. is mounted in slightly spaced relationship thereto as shown in Fig. 2. The ring slide 48 has a vertical rib 49 and is supported on the arm 46 by means of a pair of spacer bars 45 and screws 47. A ring retaining arm 50 is also provided and terminates in a ring retaining finger 51.

As to the manner of mounting the arms 46 and 50, I provide a rock shaft 52 supported in ears 54 of the head 44 as shown in Fig. 3. The arm 46 has a pair of ears 56 secured thereto by screws 55 (see Fig. 2). The ears 56 are pivoted on the rock shaft 52 while the arm 50 has a boss 58 pinned thereto at 57. A ring slide latch 60 is pivoted at 62 to a flange 53 of the head 44. A collar 64 (see Fig. 4) is pinned to the rock shaft and has a latch shoulder 66 for coaction with the ring slide latch 60. Adjusting screws 68 and 72 are provided to normally predetermine the elevation of the left-hand ends of the arms 46 and 50 and the adjustment may be retained by lock nuts 70 and 74 respectively.

The ring support arm 46 terminates in a solenoid housing 76 for a ring releasing solenoid 78. A cover plate 77 is provided for this housing, and current supply wires 80 extend to the solenoid from suitable control switches and a source of current supply. A core 82 is slidable in the solenoid 78 and is connected by a link 84 with an escapement actuator 86, there being an actuator return spring 88 against the bias of which the core 82 is propelled toward the left in Fig. 2when the solenoid 78 is energized.

An inner escape plate 90 is provided having a ring release finger 91 and an outer escape plate 92 is provided having a ring release finger 93. Referring to Fig. 10, it will be noted that the ring R has therein a groove 110 in which the fingers 91 anud 93 engage. This type of ring is shown in the McCarty applications above referred to and is preferably formed of synthetic resin or similar material, the groove 110 being adapted to receive the periphery of a disc as therein disclosed.

An escapement return spring 94 is interposed between the plates 90 and 92 so as to normally retain them in the position shown in Fig. 7 whereas movement of the escapement actuator 86 from the position of Fig. 7 to the position of Fig. 8 reverses the positions of the escapement plates. The outer end of the escapement actuator 86 is pointed as indicated at 87 to spread the lower cross bars of the escapement plates 90 and 92 apart during this operation. The escapement plates 90 and 92 are slidably mounted at the left-hand end of the solenoid housing 76 and are retained in position by an escapement cover plate 96.

I provide a sheet metal ring chute 98 for guiding the ring as will hereinafter appear and a sheet metal ring trap 100 pivoted at 101 and provided with a semi-circular seat 102 into which the rings R feed by gravity. The pivot 101 permits the ring trap 100 to swing upwardly as the forward and rearward edges of the ring plates 32 pass under it, yet when the ring plate is in the proper position to receive a ring as shown in Fig. 1, the rin tra is closely adjacent the ring plate to insure that the ring will properly enter the circular opening 33 of the ring plate.

Practical operation Referring to Fig. 2, it will be noted that the ring support arm 46 is tilted downward at a slight angle from its supported end (on rock shaft 52) and the ring slide 48 is similarly slanted. The rings R are suspended on the ring slide and are shown substantially equally spaced. In actual operation, however, the rings tend to bunch at the discharge end of the ring slide 48 but in single file with each ring touching the slide. The ring retainer arm 50 may be raised as to the dash-line position illustrated to gain access by the operator to any rings that might be overlapped on the ring slide 48 for the purpose of separating them to thus insure proper feeding thereof to the escapement mechanism.

To load the arm 46 and the slide 48 with rings, the arm 50 is lifted to the dash line position as shown in Fig. 2 and then swung on upwardly until the latch 60 drops over the latch shoulder 66 as shown by solid lines in Fig. 4 (the normal or operating position being shown by dotted lines), and thus the elements 46 and 48 are likewise slanted upwardly as shown by solid lines so that the arm can be substantially filled with rings. The latch 60 is then released to permit the arms 46 and 50 to assume the operating position and with one or more rings held by the ring release finger 93 of the outer escapement plate 92 as shown in Fig. 7, operation is ready to commence.

At the proper time the solenoid 78 is energized so that the first ring is released from the finger 93 while the finger 91 retains the second and succeeding rings, the timing being such that the released ring can slide down the chute 98, and under the ring trap 100 and enter the circular opening 33 of the ring plate 32 at the ring feed station at that time as shown in Fig. 10. The ring trap 100 guides the ring into the circular opening 33 and the ring trap base 35 prevents the lower edge of the ring from going too far through the opening 33 which would result in the ring catching in an undesirable position with respect to the opening. Instead, the ring trap 100 and the trap base 35 cooperate with the plate 32 to provide a pocket that readily receives the ring in the proper position with respect to the opening 33.

The solenoid 78 is energized only momentarily so that soon after the position of Fig. 8 is assumed by the escapement mechanism, it returns under the action of the spring 94 to the initial position of Fig. 7 ready for another operation when the next ring plate 32 comes into position to receive a ring. At the same time the vibration caused by movement of the core 82 and other parts of the escapement mechanism when the solenoid is energized imparts some vibration to the arm 46 and likewise to the ring slide 48 which vibration is imparted to the rings. I have found this serves to separate most overlapping rings and spread them out substantially evenly as shown in Fig. 2 so that they feed properly into position with respect to the escapement mechanism. The tapering character of the ring slide 48, and its mounting adjacent its upper end only (on the rock shaft 52), contribute to the separation of the rings due to such vibration.

It will be noted that the solenoid housing 76 has a sloping portion 79 to coact with the ring retaining finger 51 to guide the rings R down to the escapement mechanism and prevent them from jumping ofi the finger 93. The adjusting screw 72 may be utilized to properly position the finger 51 with respect to the slope 79.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my ring feed for a meat packaging machine without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it, therefore, is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may reasonably be included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a ring feed of the kind disclosed, means for supporting and delivering rings one at a time comprising a downwardly inclined arm and escapement mechanism adjacent the lower end of said arm, said escapement mechanism comprising a pair of plates spring biased in opposite directions and each having an abutment which are adjacent each other when so biased, a wedge element adapted when extended to enter between said abutments and spread them to thereby effect retraction of said outer escapement plate and extension of said inner escapement plate, said plates returning under said spring bias to their normal positions when said wedge element is retracted, an armature for extending said wedge element, and a solenoid for moving said armature when the solenoid is energized, said solenoid being located adjacent the outer end of said arm to efifect vibration thereof to feed the rings therealong toward said escapement elements.

2. In a ring feed, means for supporting and delivering rings comprising a downwardly inclined arm and escapement mechanism comprising a pair of elements spring biased in opposite directions and each having an abutment, said abutments being adjacent each other when so biased, a wedge element to enter between said abutments and spread them to thereby effect retraction of said outer escapement element and extension of said inner escapement element, said elements returning under said spring bias to their normal positions when said wedge element is retracted, an armature for entering said wedge element between said abutments, and a solenoid for moving said armature when the solenoid is energized, said solenoid being energized in selected intervals and being located adjacent the outer end of said arm to effect vibration thereof to feed the rings therealong toward said escapement elements.

3. In a ring feed of the character disclosed, means for supporting and delivering rings edgewise and one at a time comprising a downwardly inclined arm and escapement mechanism adjacent the lower end of said arm, said escapement mechanism comprising a pair of escapement elements spring biased in opposite directions and each having an abutment which are adjacent each other when so biased, a wedge element adapted to enter between said abutments and spread them to thereby effect retraction of said outer escapement element and extension of said inner escapement element, said elements returning under said spring bias to their normal positions when said wedge element is retracted, an armature for moving said wedge element, and a solenoid for moving said armature when the solenoid is energized.

4. A ring feed comprising an arm for supporting a plurality of rings and escapement mechanism adjacent the lower end of said arm to release them, said escapement element, an armature for moving said wedge element, and a solenoid for moving said armature when the solenoid is energized, said solenoid being energized at selected intervals and being located adjacent the outer end of said arm to effect vibration thereof to feed the rings therealong toward said escapement elements.

5. In a ring feed of the kind disclosed, means for supporting and delivering rings one at a time comprising a downwardly inclined arm and escapement mechanism adjacent the lower end of said arm, said escapement mechanism comprising a pair of plates yieldingly biased in opposite directions and each having an abutment which are adjacent each other when so biased, a wedge element adapted when extended to enter between said abutments and spread them to thereby effect retraction of said outer escapement plate and extension of said inner escapement plate, said plates returning under said bias to their normal positions when said wedge element is retracted, and means for extending said wedge element.

6. In a ring feed of the kind disclosed, means for supporting and suspending said rings by engaging the inner circumference of each ring so that the rings are positioned in succeeding vertical planes with adjacent rings facing each other comprising a downwardly inclined arm over which the rings are passed and having a ring-engaging surface so that the rings will feed by gravity towards the lower end thereof, escapement mechanism adjacent the lower end of said arm comprising inner and outer escapement fingers extending radially relative to the rings supported on said arm, means for normally projecting the outer finger radially beyond the ring-engaging surface of said arm to engage the lowermost ring and retain it on said arm and for withdrawing the inner finger radially within said surface, an actuating mechanism for moving said fingers radially to reverse the positions thereo'f relative to said surface whereby the outer finger will be withdrawn radially within said surface to release the lowermost ring and the inner finger will be projected radially beyond said surface to engage the next ring to retain it on said arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 889,661 Corthell June 2, 1908 2,192,503 Newman Mar. 5, 1940 2,604,577 Strickland et al. July 22, 1952 2,717,099 Rundblad et al Sept. 6, 1955 

